Cribber chain excavating element



April 29, 1952 H.w. PRoTzELLER 2,594,991

CRIBBER CHAIN EXCAVATING ELEMENT Filed Sept. 16, 1946 gli 1L-- il April 29, 1952 Filed Sept. 16, 1946 H. W. PROTZELLER CRIBBER CHAIN EXCAVATING ELEMENT 3 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Ear/'y WP/wze//ef y (2Min @am April 29, 1952 Filed Sept. 16, 1946 H. W. PROTZELLER CRIBBER CHAIN EXCAVATING ELEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 V////////I A JW-0e?? for Patented Apr. 29, 1952 CRIBBER CHAIN EXCAVATIN G ELEMENT Harry W. Protzeller, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 16, 1946, Serial No. 697,309

Claims. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in digging ights. Y

One purpose is to provide a digging iiight which can be advantageously used with excavating chains. A

Another purpose is to provide a digging iiight which is particularly adapted for use in cribbing machines which excavate the ballast from between the ties of a railroad track.

Another purpose is to provide a flight which is adaptable for use with two parallel chain components.

Another purpose is to provide a iiight which forms part of and connects to parallel chain components.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specication and claims.

I illustrate the invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a shovel flight;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a flight having a plurality of excavating picks;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of another flight, having a different arrangement of picks;

Figure '7 is a similar view of a flight, having a still different arrangement of picks;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a typical chain assembly with which my iiights can be employed;

Figure 9 is a section on an enlarged scale of the line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating more or less diagrammatically the contour of the cut or excavation made by the excavating elements herein described. l

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specication and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and rst to Figures 8 and 9, I illustrate a boom assembly I which, of itself, forms no part of the present invention, but which indicates a typical use of a chain in cluding flights of the type herein described and,v

2 is a drive sprocket having teeth 3, 5 is a claimed. separated by pintle engaging gaps 4.

sprocket shaft. It will be understood that the' sprocket or the shaft may be driven from any suitable power source not herein shown. It will be understood that two sprockets may be e'mployed, separated along the axis of the shaft 5.

2 6 indicates any suitable idler roll on its shaft l. 8 indicates a digging beak which forms part of the boom I. 9 is an end roller with its shaft I0, about which the chain passes. I do not illustrate the chain in detail, but it will be understood that I may employ a plurality of side link members 30 or 40 connected by pintles 50, with upset locking ends 50a. The arrangement of the two chains is well shown in Figure 9. The chains are shown as passing around the reverse guide flanges 25 having a beveled entry portion 26. 2l is an oppositely beveled entry portion of the boom structure. The beak portion 8 has upper guide lianges I4 and lower guide anges I'I, extending outwardly from side members I 5 mounted at cpposite sides of the boom component II. Any suitable securing means may be employed, such as the locking bolts I9, headed as at 20, and provided with nuts 2I. It will be observed that the `inwardly projecting link members 40e, of the This relationship is maintained from the curved A guide portion 25 of Figure 8 to the end of the flanges I4, adjacent the roller 9, as shown in Figure 8. On the return or excavating portion of the chain excursion, the entire width of the chain structure bears against the lower lace of the anges I'I, as shown in Figure 9.

Whereas the details of the chain do not of themselves form part of the present invention, it will be understood that the chain side members 30 may be -connected by hollow sleeves 35, surroundedA by rollers 36. Other side chain members 40 may directly engage the pintles lLwithout the use of intervening tubes or cylinders, Thus I employ two parallel chains, each chain having roller components and non-roller components. A

Connecting the two chains, and forming part of them, I provide a series of excavating members. Some are indicated as picks and some as shovels. The two chain components, which l' may indicate as A and B in Figure 9, are connected by the flights generally indicated as E.

These various ilights are indicated in detail in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive. Each such flight includes a transversely extending body 60, from one face of which projects any suitable digging or excavating element. In the form of Figure l, I illustrate a single shovel 6I, having a sharp forward cutting edge 52, and a somewhat steeper rear face 63. The bottom face of the shovelis upwardly and rearwardly inclined, as at 64. The digging face joins the inclined forward face 66 of the flight body 60. Extending from the opposite face of the iiight body 60, I illustrate pairs of lugs 1.\. The lugs are separated by a space proper to receive one of the roller link units. The lugs are formed generally like the side link members 30 or 40, as will be clear from Figures 2 and 5 .v Thus the lugs10 are formed to act as integral parts of the chain structure, and, when flights are inserted in the chain, to take the place of pairs of the side link members 40. Preferably the width of the lugs, transversely of the chain, is twice that of the members 40. The lugs are provided with apertures 1l, through which the pintles 50 may pass.

When my chain is employed for excavation', it may be advantageous to provide a plurality of nights having different digging elements. For ex? ample, in Figure 4, I employ a plurality of picks 15, 18, 11, the pick 16 being on the center line of the entire chain structure, while the picks and 11 are each aligned with oneof the "chain components A or i3. -In Figure 6; Iemploy two widely spaced picks 18, 19, each of which is generally aligned with one of the chain components.

In Figure '1, I also illustrate two picks 80, 8| somewhat out of line with the, chain components; in all forms the picksor the vshovel 6|; are sym# metri-cally arranged in relation to the center line of the entire chain structure, this center line being indicated 'at O in Figures 1, 46 and '7'. Also; it is preferable that all of the pick `members be forwardly inclined, as is shown in Figure 5, and conform generally tothe contour above described in connection with the shovelelement 6I., vIt is ad.

vantageous thatthe outer edge portions be beveled or downwardly and inwardlyin-clined, as` at 8 2 in Figure 1, 83 in Figure 4 and 84 in Figure 61 Since the members 80 and 8| of Figure? are located substantially inwardly fromthe sides o f the rcut or excavation made by the chain, they need not be thus formed.

It is advantageous to arrange the flights uniformly along the chain, as shown in Figure 8, with the various types of excavator tool arrangedin any desired order and relationship. Ihis'may d epend upon the nature of the material being excavated. Soft material mightrequire only shovel members 6I. Hard material might require 'more of the picks, as shown in Figures 4, 6 and '1.

The two chain components A and B arethus spaced apart and maintained in substantially fixed spaced relationship. The symmetrical arrangement of the excavating tools fpreyents any substantial side stress or twistingjofthe chain. The sequence of different types ofpicks and shovels insures that even the hardest'soilwill be broken up, and will be conveyed out of the excavation in the course of the normal movement of the chain.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device. nevertheless many changes in size, shape, number and disposition of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and content of my invention. I therefore wishmy descriptionand drawings to be taken as in abroad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my specific showing herein.

The use and operation of the invention are as OHOWSI The present excavating elements should be considered in connection with the particulan'function which they perform. Theyare employable with a cribbing machine the function whifchis to remove ballast from between Athe ties of a tia'ck,

from the so-called cribs, or spaces between the ties. The cribbing machine functions without the removal of the rails from the ties and, as shown in Figure 8, includes a chain carrying boom which may be inserted, between the ties. and below the rails. The cribbing machine may be used either to remove ballast permanently, the removed ballast being wasted, and replaced by new ballast, or it may be used to remove ballast to be cleaned and thereafter returned. In either event, the adequate removal of the ballast is but one factor of the successful operation. Especially where the ballast is to be removed and then returned after screening and cleaning, and, when there is no substantial rebuilding of the track and the track supportngmass, there should be a minimum disturbance of that part of the ballast which is not removed; Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically the contour of the cut which is made by the excavating elements, in relation to the ballast which actually underlies the ties.

The ballast-is u suallypacked very compactly with power tampers, around and under the ties. This packing extends inwardly from the tie ends to approximately Aone yfoot from the center of the tie. Thecenter `portionis loose. The packing which is secured by this tamping is further consolidated by the traffic over the rails, which tends still further to compact the ballast. Thus a very hard bed resultsdrectly under the ties. So far as possible, any cribbing out of the ballast should not disturb this bed. The tendency of ballast, under traffic and weather conditions, is to reduce the size of the individual pieces. A powder, mixed with Amud and clay, often forms socalled cemented ballast. It is practically impossible tobreak up this cemented ballast, except with sharp pointed tools forced into it with great force. In order to break up this cemented ballast, I providethe pointed tools shown, for example, in Figures 4 to '1, inclusive. By alternating sharp pointed flights with the broad surfaced flight of Figure 1, I secure a breaking action with which is associated a simultaneous conveying or removing action.

In each crib section vor space there is a combination of ballast materials, bounded by the wooden faces of the ties, and often bonded to the tie surface. It is important to remove the mud, dirt and debris that clings to the tie Without damaging the tie itself.V I obtain this result by employing excavating elements having end cutting surfaces oredges. As willbe clear, for example, from Figures 1 and 3, I form a rather ,bluntaiid backwardly raked'scraping edge at IDU. This'edg'e, 4as. will b'e clear from Figure 1 or Figure 4, is located above the cutting level of thc downwardly extending tools or points 15, 16 and 11"'of Figure 4. Thus, while the downwardly extending tool portions penetrate below the level of the tie bottoms, as shown at X in Figure 10, the 'end edges Illu are positioned to operate against the cemented ballast along the lower part of the lside acesof the ties. The preferred contour, whieh is obtained by oscillating the conveyor chainbackwardly and forwardly along the track, while the chain is performing its excavating function, includes shallow, horizontal ledges IDI, adjacent the ties, 'a ldownwardly and inwardly inclinedslope |02, and a-generally flat bottom |03. Theseshelyes ofr ledges VIl ll may be approximately an widefto Agive an example, and the downwardmslopesddniay vapproximate The floor or bettoxnl vsliould be several inches below the tie bottoms to provide for drainage.

The shape of the excavating elements should also be considered in relation to the removal of the material. Referring to Figure 8, as theconveyor elements pass about the idler l0, they encounter ballast that must be loosened up and dragged out. All of the excavating members have a forward rake or inclination. This inclination is provided so that the outer point of each digging element encounters the ballast first, so that a digging instead of a slapping action results. Thus the forward edge 62 of the broad member 6|, and the corresponding edge of eachof the other excavating elements actually enters the ballast with a true digging action. As the excavating elements pass along and under the lower side of the boom, the angle of inclination thus provided serves to maintain a simultaneous lifting and dragging action. This will be clear from an inspection of the lower part of Figure 8. The inclination of the excavating elements necessarily has a lifting action on the ballast particles. As the excavating elements pass to the upwardly and outwardly inclined end portion of the boom, the angle of the inclination is such that an upwardly and outwardly discharging action takes place. The particles are actually upwardly lifted or propelled, in addition to the outward movement, and the material is, in practice, thrown clear and deposited along the right of way or in the intertrack space of a multiple track line. The present elements have been designed to perform satisfactorily all of the above three functions, namely, the initial digging action, the combined lifting and lateral conveying action, and the flnal upward and outward discharging action.

In connection with a double chain structure for cribbers, I thus provide a highly efficient flight which connects two parallel chain components, and which also serves as a link part of each of the components. I illustrate various conformations and arrangements of digging elements on these flights. I find it advantageous to space the flights closely along the chain components, as shown, for example, in Figure 8. I also find it advantageous to arrange the excavating projections in a balanced or symmetrical arrangement at opposite sides of the central line of the entire chain element. As shown, for example, in Figures 1 to 7, the shovel 6l is centered on the O line. In Figure 4 a tooth or pick 'i6 is on center, and the side picks and 'l1 are equally spaced at opposite sides of center. In Figures 6 and '7, where only two picks appear, they are equally spaced at opposite sides of the center line. All forms of the flight have in common that they are interchangeable with link elements and may be inserted in the two chain components.

I claim:

l. As a new article of manufacture, an integral digging flight adapted for use in an excavating chain, said flight including a transversely extending body portion with cutting edges at opposite ends thereof, said body portion having chain receiving lugs extending from one face thereof, said lugs having laterally spaced pintle receiving apertures spaced from said face of said body portion a distance less thanthe distance between said apertures, said apertures being spaced substantially equidistant from said body portion and the outer edge of said lug, and a plurality of transversely spaced upturned picks extending from the opposite face of said body portion, the base of said picks being spaced from said one face of said body portion a distance less than that between the apertures in said lugs, the outer edges of chain, said flight including a transversely extending body portion with cutting edges at opposite ends thereof, said body portion having chain receiving lugs extending from one face thereof, said lugs having laterally spaced pintle receiving apertures spaced from said face of said body portion a distance less than the distance between said apertures, said apertures being spaced substantially equidistant from said body portion and the outer edge of said lug, and a plurality of transversely spaced upturned picks extending from the opposite face of said body portion, the base of said picks being spaced from said one face of said body portion a distant less than that between the apertures in said lugs, said lugs and picks being symmetrically arranged at opposite sides of the center of said body portion, the outer edges of said picks being spaced inwardly from the cutting edges on said body portion.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a unitary metal digging flight adapted for use in excavating chains, said flight including a transversely extending body portion, said body portion having apertured chain pin receiving lugs extending from its upper face and a digging element extending downwardly from its lower face, said flight having lateral digging edge portions at the opposite ends of said body portion, said lateral digging edge portions being located at a level below said chain receiving lugs and above said digging elements and substantially aligned with the body portion of the flight, said digging element extending longitudinally of the body of the flight and terminating at either end inwardly of the extremities of said flight and inwardly of said lateral digging edge portions. .1

4. As a new article of manufacture a unitary metal digging flight adapted for use in a ballast cribbing chain, said flight including a transversely extending body portion, said flight having lateral backwardly raked blunt digging edge portions at the opposite ends of said body portion, said flight having a cutting tool projecting from one face of said body portion, said cutting tool being provided with working edges disposed in angular relation to each other and to said digging edge portions, one of said working edges being arranged below and substantially perpendicular an adjacent one of said digging edges and being shorter than the transverse extent of said flight and spaced inwardly from one end thereof, another of said working edges extending upwardly from an outer end of said first-mentioned working edge towards said adjacent blunt digging edge, chain pin receiving lugs extending from the oppositeface of said body portion in substantially perpendicular relation to the plane of said body portion and substantially parallel to the plane of said lateral digging edge portions, and apertures in said lugs, the axes of which are generally parallel with the transverse extension of the body portion, said body portion being generally rectilinear in transverse extension.

5. The structure of claim 4. characterized by and including apertured chain receiving lugs arranged in pairs, said pairs being spaced inwardly from the ends of said body portion, the cutting ends of said body portion being exterior to the outermost lugs of each pair.

HARRY W. PROTZELLER.

(References on following page) Number REFERENCES CITED 1,708,132 The following references are of record in the 1,758,484 le of this patent: 1382332 UNITED STATES PATENTS 227 70 Number Y Name Date 706,535 Dobson Aug. 12, 1902 Number 710,338 Brines oct. '1, 1902 5,313 893,240 Hay July 14, 1908 10 1902 1,246,527 Bentson Nov. 13, 1917 19,010 1,397,679 Dunlap Nov. 22, 1921 1,422,151 Walker July 11, 1922 Nam-e Date Haiss Apr. 9, 1929 Van Slyke May 13, 1930 Dunlap Nov. 8, 1932 Tiffany Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 4, 1902 Austria Jan. 25, 1905 

